WASHINGTON, May 12 (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice urged Muslims around the world on Thursday to resist calls for violence from people outraged by allegations that interrogators at Guantanamo Bay had desecrated the Koran.

Reports that interrogators at the U.S. military prison in Cuba put Korans in toilets and in at least one case flushed the holy book down the toilet have triggered violent demonstrations in Afghanistan as well as official protests in Pakistan.

"We have heard from our Muslim friends around the world about their concerns on this matter. We understand and we share their concerns. Sadly some people have lost their lives in violent demonstrations," Rice said, alluding to reports that at least seven people had died in Afghan protests this week.

"I am asking that all our friends around the world reject incitement to violence by those who would mischaracterize our intentions," she added in a surprise statement at the start of testimony to U.S. lawmakers.

"I want to speak directly to Muslims in America and throughout the world. Disrespect for the Holy Koran is not now, nor has it ever been, nor will it ever be tolerated by the United States," she said. "Disrespect for the Holy Koran is abhorrent to us all."

LAHORE, May 12: MMA president and Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Qazi Hussain Ahmad has made an appeal to all Islamic movements in the world to observe a “world protest day” against the desecration of Holy Quran by US troops in Guantanamo Bay prison camp. MMA is observing a protest day across Pakistan on Friday (today) against the blatant US attack on Muslims belief. Thousands of Pakistani Muslims will hold peaceful demonstrations outside mosques after Friday prayers to condemn US religious terrorism and extremism. Qazi Hussain Ahmad has written a letter to the heads of Muslim movements saying desecration of Holy Quran is not just a matter concerning an individual, group or an organization, but it is an attempt to persecute the whole Ummah and should serve as a food for thought to them. Qazi termed the desecration of Holy Quran as a tool of mental torture to the prisoners in Guantanamo Bay as an insult to all global, moral, legal and human values. Qazi said the incident caused a serious pain and anger among Pakistani nation like every conscientious Muslim and Pakistan’s parliament has expressed its shock and anger over the incident through a unanimous resolution demanding serious action against the perpetrators of the crime. However, he said, the religious honor demands that entire Ummah should express unanimous protest on this outrageous act. Qazi Hussain has proposed to all heads of Islamic movements that they should prepare for holding a global protest day at the end of May in order to stop US government of its criminal acts and to award severe punishment to the culprits. Until that day entire Ummah must be apprised of the gravity of this crime through Friday sermons from all mosques. Besides, respective Muslim governments should be demanded to take serious notice of this heinous US crime and reverse their pro-US policies, Qazi concluded. (#)

LAHORE, May 13: Countrywide protest day was observed on the appeal of MMA to condemn the desecration of Holy Quran by American troops in Guantanamo Bay detention camp. Eight hundred protest demonstrations were held in various parts of the country which were addressed by local leadership of the religious alliance. Speakers condemned the painful incident in strong words and demanded stern action against its perpetrators.In Lahore, MMA president Qazi Hussain Ahmed strongly condemned the sacrilege of Holy Quran while delivering Jumma Sermon at Jamia Mansoorah. He said the so call secular creatures are not even willing to pay respect to the Prophets of God. “Animals have no respect for others”. He said the incident is indeed disrespect of the entire Muslim Ummah and we are out to condemn it at global level. He said we are in contact with the world Islamic movements for global protest on a particular day. He announced a grand demonstration will be held same day in Islamabad. Allah, he said, is in person has committed to protect the honor of His divine book and therefore Muslims keep this Book dear to them than their life. Flushing out the most sacred book of Muslims was a conspiracy to scratch the love for this Book from the hearts of Muslims and it speaks of the moral turpitude facing the Americans.The MMA president held president Musharraf responsible for the derogatory cartoon in “Washington Times” who is handing over Muslims to Americans. He said, Americans will never tolerate us despite our so called posture of moderation and enlightenment. The US will keep us haunting deeming us a great threat for their survival. He said Islam is fast spreading religion in the west and America that is US is trying to malign this divine creed so that people don’t pay heed to its message.Qazi Hussain Ahmed said Muslim world is bestowed with the natural and human resources but lacks sincere leadership in their respective countries. He said we need not to impress from India and US as there is no dearth of intellect and education among the Muslims. A generation, he said, is alive who had seen the massacre of their loved one in front of their eyes. He condemned the cultural influence of India in the pretext of confidence building measures. Kashmir issue had been put a back burner and General Musharraf is posing the Islam loving people of Pakistan as threat and befriending India. He called for cementing the unity in the ranks of Muslim Ummah.(#)

KARACHI, May 10: Protest day will be observed on May 13 across the country under the aegis of Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal to condemn the desecration of the Holy Quran, inhuman treatment with prisoners in Guantánamo Bay prison, and the publication of a derogatory cartoon in the Washington Times about Pakistan.The announcement was made by the MMA central leader and Secretary General of Jamaat-e-Islami, Syed Munawwar Hasan, at a press conference at the Idara Noor-e-Haq [Karachi] on Tuesday. Jamaat leaders Muzaffar Ahmad Hashmi and Sarfraz Ahmad were also present on the occasion. He said the cartoon was part of rulers’ policy. He said the Muttahida Qaumi Movement had started its preparations for the local bodies’ elections by resorting to killing, plundering and extortions.The Washington Times cartoon, he said, had insulted not just 150 million Pakistanis, but even rulers, who were loyal to the US.He warned the rulers that if the same foreign policy was pursued, they would see a day worse than the present.Holding governor’s rule responsible for the sliding and worsening situation in Sindh, he called upon Shujaat Hussain to take immediate notice of it. He sought the intervention of Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain pointing out that the chief minister was a hostage of the MQM.Referring to the murder of an IJT worker, Farhan Asif, whose FIR was yet to be registered, he said the MMA was capable of facing every situation and could respond in a befitting manner, but it was not doing so only to avoid creating any bad situation.He said that Shaukat Aziz had so far presented five budgets, and at the time he presented the first budget, poverty was 29 per cent, which had now increased to 42 per cent.“If the coming budget is framed on the basis of propaganda, it will be an anti-people budget,” he said, and advised the government to get it prepared by local economists instead of getting it prepared by the IMF and the World Bank.

NEW YORK - Newsweek magazine has apologized for errors in a story alleging that interrogators at the U.S. detention center in Guantanamo Bay desecrated the Quran, saying it would re-examine the accusations, which sparked outrage and deadly protests in Afghanistan.

Fifteen people died and scores were injured in violence between protesters and security forces, prompting U.S. promises to investigate the allegations. After Muslim leaders in several countries assailed the U.S. over the allegations, Pentagon officials blamed Newsweek for the flare-up and accused it of "irresponsible" reporting.

"We regret that we got any part of our story wrong, and extend our sympathies to victims of the violence and to the U.S. soldiers caught in its midst," Newsweek Editor Mark Whitaker wrote in a note to readers.

In an issue dated May 9, the magazine reported that U.S. military investigators had found evidence that interrogators placed copies of Islam's holy book in washrooms and had flushed one down the toilet to get inmates to talk.

Whitaker wrote that the magazine's information came from "a knowledgeable U.S. government source," and before it published the item, writers Michael Isikoff and John Barry sought comment from two Defense Department officials. One declined to respond, and the other challenged another part of the story but did not dispute the Quran charge, Whitaker said.

But on Friday, a top Pentagon spokesman told the magazine that a review of the military's investigation concluded "it was never meant to look into charges of Quran desecration. The spokesman also said the Pentagon had investigated other desecration charges by detainees and found them 'not credible.'"

Whitaker added that the magazine's original source later said he could not be sure he read about the alleged Quran incident in the report Newsweek cited, and that it might have been in another document.

"Top administration officials have promised to continue looking into the charges, and so will we," Whitaker wrote.

Newsweek Washington Bureau Chief Daniel Klaidman said the magazine believes it erred in reporting the allegation that a prison guard tried to flush the Quran down a toilet and that military investigators had confirmed the accusation.

"The issue here is to get the truth out, to acknowledge as quickly as possible what happened, and that's what we're trying to do," Klaidman told the "CBS Evening News" on Sunday.

Many of the 520 inmates at Guantanamo are Muslims arrested during the U.S.-led war against the Taliban and its al-Qaida allies in Afghanistan.

Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said in a statement that the original story was "demonstrably false" and "irresponsible," and "had significant consequences that reverberated throughout Muslim communities around the world."

"Newsweek hid behind anonymous sources, which by their own admission do not withstand scrutiny," Whitman said. "Unfortunately, they cannot retract the damage they have done to this nation or those that were viciously attacked by those false allegations."

After Newsweek published the story, demonstrations spread across Afghanistan and Muslims around the world decried the alleged desecration.

In Afghanistan, Islamic scholars and tribal elders called for the punishment of anyone found to have abused the Quran, said Maulawi Abdul Wali Arshad, head of the religious affairs department in Badakhshan province.

Arshad and the provincial police chief said the scholars met in Faizabad, 310 miles northeast of the capital, Kabul, and demanded a "reaction" from U.S. authorities within three days.

Lebanon's most senior Shiite Muslim cleric on Sunday said the reported desecration of the Quran is part of an American campaign aimed at disrespecting and smearing Islam.

In a statement faxed to The Associated Press, Grand Ayatollah Mohammed Hussein Fadlallah called the alleged desecration a "brutal" form of torture and urged Muslims and international human rights organizations "to raise their voices loudly against the American behavior."

On Saturday, Pakistan's President Gen. Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, both allies of Washington, demanded an investigation and punishment for those behind the reported desecration of the Quran.

The story also sparked protests in Pakistan, Yemen and the Gaza Strip. The 22-nation Arab League issued a statement saying if the allegations panned out, Washington should apologize to Muslims.

National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley said in an interview for CNN's "Late Edition" that the allegations were being investigated "vigorously."

"If it turns out to be true, obviously we will take action against those responsible," he said.

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